Giants scouts hit the road again, surveying top NCAA programs ahead of Week 5 with the Saints, gathering film and intel for the 2026 NFL draft. The drive is to identify high-upside talent who can contribute in year one or become development pieces behind the current core.

Across Penn State, UCLA, Michigan, Wisconsin, Iowa State, Cincinnati, Florida and Texas, the focus is a cross-section of schemes and athletic profiles, building a depth-of-talent map to inform future roster decisions and fantasy-relevant rookie projections for the coming seasons.

Max Pacioretty’s 17-year NHL career ends as he returns to his alma mater, joining Michigan Hockey as a special assistant to head coach Brandon Naurato. A Canadiens captain, Vegas All-Star, and durable scorer who battled major injuries, his 681 career points and Masterton Trophy highlight a leadership-forward arc now funneling into college development. Michigan gains a veteran mentor who can translate pro habits to prospects and coach his four boys in youth hockey, strengthening the program’s ladder to the pros.

His move underscores the growing bridge between NHL experience and college player development, with potential ripple effects on recruit intake, practice culture, and pro-track visibility for Michigan-bound talent. For fantasy managers, Pacioretty’s return as a coach signals deeper ties between college production and NHL opportunity, shaping how future Michigan alumni are viewed in drafts and prospect evaluations.